Pumpkin-wilting machine



Patented Nov.'v 1, 1927 z EDWARD E.. stress, or PETERSBURG, `ILLINOJLS, ASSIGNORTO INDIANA fiamme Maf y reims TENT I This invention pertains lto the cooking of pumpkins j preparatory .to the 'pulpingg process. 1 The invention relates particularly vto l a process of continuous cooking of previously prepared chopped or cut up, pumpkin,v lwhereby such pumpkin may be fed' through asuitable machine and delivered therefrom, cookeditotlie proper degree and ready fory pulping. f The invention further relates tov the machine and' mechanism employed `in carryingV out the process, aswill be hereinafter moreful'ly set forth.

. 2, Fig. 4 is a section taken on K of F ig.' 3. 1

- In the drawings, there is shown a sup-y The fully nature of the invention will be understood lfrom the accompanying drawings and' the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation Vof the cooking tank. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the topplate removed. 3 is a section'taken on thel line 3-'3 of Fig. the 'line 4 4 porting frame comprising the legs upon which is mounted a relatively tall cooking tankll.' As shown in Fig. 3, said'tank is formed offan` outer boil-ery plate structure" with aninner lining of-corrugatedtubing 12, Between the inner lining and the outer shell there is provid'edaninsulatingma! 4terial 13 for 'retaining heat within the tank:

The :inner lining extends upwardly` beyond` the top of the tank, 'as shown at 14.

Positioned within the tank'there is pro- 4 vided a plurality ofsteam discharge pipes 7 15a, 15b, 1531er7 156 and isf, as Shown in Fig. 2.V :[twill'pbev noted that vthe pipe 15e is positioned at the bottom and iii line with the pipe :Said pipes are providedl with a plurality of perforations through which the'steam is discharged within the tank.

"They extend diametricallyacross' the same Y.and are spaced apart, one above theother,

as best illustrated in Fig. 1. Furthermore, they extend at an angle to eachother, or

in -di'iiferentvertical planes throughlthe tank. ".'hey are supported inI the sidewalls of the* tankby means of the packing'boxes 16 and A are connected at one end Awith theirrroespective `steam supply pipes 17, Said respec-v tive steam Vsupply pipes 17 are connected with the main steam'supply pipe 18` and are V'controlled by: theirv respective valves 195 p ,Mounted immediately below the tank' there Fig.

nur;rKriv-WIILTINGA MAQHINE.

' Application sied Maya, 1925. serialv N o. 27,617.

is a receiving trough 2O in whichfthelst-eam discharge pipe 15f is mountedand a rotatingv and diametrically positioned,perforatedl conl densed steam and juice discharge pipe 21.y

Said pipe 21 is open at oneend. and is pro!O -60 vided with the staggered projectionsmor agitating paddles 22.A The rotating zdssprockets there is bell clapper adapted 4to rotate therewith., Immediatelyl vbelow said pipe and contained within the trough :there is a spiral feed screw`31 includingv a shaft 32 which extends `vthrough thetrough and upon which the sprocket V is mounted for causing its rotation, A discharge spout l 33 extends" outwardly from l.the trough and vis tapered toa reduced opening 'at ytheouter extremity thereof, which 'opening 4 is ljust large enough to Vpermit the "screw to pass ltherethrough.' Said spout is perforatedfor "permitting the water or `liquidt pass therethrough', as will ,be hereinafter "described 1 The vouter end of the screw vslfiai't'32is mounted in' a suitable bearingon a support 34 and. immediately below the restricted opening 'of the spout 33 there maybe arranged a suitable conveyor for receiving and conveying the discharged material therefrom.

Mounted rinthe topof the tank or ,father Positioned Shaft 35" having@ crank arm L36 mounted thereomwhich armis connected by a chain 37 to a crank 38kpositioned near the bottom 0f the tank. Said crank has a hell gong 39 capable of being lowered to a position for engagement by the c lapper 2,8as the same is being revolved,v Qrcapehleof being Withdrawn out of the` path* 'of the`jr0tatne ythe nn'erlinna lrl'thcre is a diametrcallv clapper. Mounted on the shaft 135 so'as to A I move-therewith, there is aplafteor tonguel 40 which .will be maintained in 'substantially the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, while' the material 41 .is beingV delivered yover the edge of the tank at the toptherect;v .As

the :material piles upln the ,it gradually raise the plate tea psitiijn sith seeded, will be conveyed by suitable buckets or other means to the top of the tank and stantially as shown in full lines, which will aotuate the shaft 35 to lower the gong 39 in position to be struck by the clapper 28 and give the signal that the tank has been filled. However, with respect to this arrangement, a suitable float' or similar means may be employed for warning the operator upon the complete filling of the tank.

` In operation the pumpkin which has been previously washed, cut into small pieces and discharged over the edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. Assuming that the tank is empty at the beginning of operation, the power operating the driving chain 27 is cut off so that the pumpkinwill not be discharged. It will fillA up the trough 20, upon which steam will be turned into the pipe lf. As the level of the pumpkin reaches the steam pipe l5", the steam-in that pipe will thereupon be turned on. The steam in the respective pipes 15u'd will thereafter be turned on as the level of the pumpkin rises to the respective steam discharge pipes. After the tank has been partially filled, the pumpkin in the trough having been sufficiently steamed through the steam pipes 15a-f, power will be applied to the chain 27 and the discharge mechanism Aactuated so as to discharge the pumpkin from the bottom of the tank. Thereafter the discharge of the cooked pumpkin will subact as baffleplates for the pumpkin as it passes downwardly so that all parts thereof will be thoroughly steamed.

,Inthe trough, the rotation of the fluid discharge pipe 2l with the projections or paddles 22 thereon will turn the pumpkin and eliminate any air pockets formed there in, as wellas ycausing the pumpkin to be fed to the tapered. and perforated spout 33 which has its outer end reduced. As the pumpkin is discharged therefrom, it wil-l be squeezed against the perforated spout so that the wa-L ter contained therein due to the steam will be substantially eliminated therefrom.

Particular mention should be made of the corrugated inner lining or shell 14, which is of Ivery great importance to this invention.

The peripheralrecesses and ribs extending in parallel horizontal planes forming the corrugated surface of the inner lining 14 permits of circulation ofY live steam about v.the circumference of the sleeve or shell and aboutthe outer portion of the pumpkin contained therein, and thus wilting thepurnpkin about the outerl portions thereof. lFurthermore, the corrugated surface permitting such circulation of the steam, prevents the pump-- kin from clinging to the sides and becoming cooked thereon, while at the same time there are no recesses, ribs or other unevenness of surface, such as will resist the downward movement of the mass or catch and retain portions thereof.

The invention claimed is:

l. In a machine for cooking piunpkin or the like, a relatively tall vertically positioned tank adapted to receive the pumpkin at the top thereof, Aa plurality of steam sprays mounted in said tank for discharging steam into the pumpkin contained therein, a receiving tro-ugh mounted below said tank, and means provided in said trough for eliminating the water contained in the pumpkin and conveying the .pumpkin from the tank.

2. In a machine for cooking pumpkin or 3. In a machine for cooking pumpkin or the like, a relatively tall vertically positioned tank adapted to receive the pumpkin at the top thereof, `a plurality of steam sprays mounted in said tank for discharging steam into the pumpkin containedltherein,

lmeans for agitating and simultaneously discharging water and juice from the pumpkin, and means for discharging the pumpkin and eliminating water therefrom.

4. In a machine for cooking pumpkin or the like, a relatively tall vertically positioned tank adapted to receive the pumpkin at the top thereof, a plurality of steam sprays mounted in .said tank for discharging steam into the pumpkin contained therein, a rotatably mounted perforated discharge v.pipe

positioned near the bottom of said tank, a.

plurality of outwardly extending projections on said pipe for agitating the pumpkin simultaneously with the discharge of fluid therefrom, and rotary means for squeezing water from the pumpkin and conveying the same from said tank. l r

5. In a machine for cooking pumpkins or the like, a relatively tall vertically positioned tank adapted to receive the pumpkin at the top thereof, a vplurality of steam sprays mounted in said tank for discharging steam into the pumpkin contained therein, means positioned at the bottom of said'tank for*l discharging the pumpkin therefrom, and a signalling' mechanism mounted in conjunction with said tank and controlled 'by the top level of the pumpkin contained therein 'adapted to be actuated` upon said level ap proaching the top of said tank.

6. In a machine for cooking pumpkin or the` like, a relatively tallV tubular vertically mounted tank, an inner sleeve positioned in said tank and insulated from the outer wall thereof, a plurality of'perforated steam dis- Y charge pipes mountedin said tank between the top and `loottom thereof, said pipes'being positioned diametrically and spaced one above the vother in different vertical planes,v` Y means for conducting steam to said pipes, a

receiving` trough mounted helow'said tank,

a rotary `Huid discharge pipeV rotatably.

mounted in said ltrough andjhaving a plurality of projections thereon for agitating the pumpkin, a screw shaft for receiving and pipe and screw shaft, and a perforated spout Vdeliveuing the pumpkin from said trough, means for rotating lsaid rotary discharge. o i 25v tapering 'outwardlyL lthrough which saidA screw shaft operates and adapted to cause theV pumpkin to be squeezed thereagainst by moving water contained-therein. y. i

iiXed my signature.

f EDWARD E. BRASS. l Y 

